Files concern the incorporation, regulation, and dissolution of for-profit and not-for-profit corporations that wanted to do business in Illinois but were chartered under the laws of other states. Documents filed by for-profit corporations variously include applications for license or certificate of authority, interrogatories propounded, applications for amended license, certificates of designation or change of registered agent and registered office, affidavits of corporate officials, reports of issuance of shares and increases in stated capital and paid-in surplus, reports of change in stated capital and paid-in surplus, statements of reduction or elimination of paid-in surplus, certificates of issuance of stock within authorized amount, applications for certificate of withdrawal and final report, and annual reports. Documents issued by the Secretary of State variously include assessments of franchise taxes and other fees; warrants to county sheriffs to collect fees due from corporations; and certificates issued for license or authority to transact business in Illinois, amended license, withdrawal, and revocation of authority to transact business in Illinois. Also included are certified copies of incorporation documents from the state in which the foreign corporation was chartered (e.g., articles of incorporation, articles of merger, statements of reduction of capital stock).

Entries on applications for license or certificate of authority generally include name and address of corporation, name of state incorporated in, date of incorporation, purpose and duration of corporation, locations of places of business, names of states and foreign countries where the corporation transacts business, names and addresses of officers and directors, names and addresses of registered agent and registered office, amount of state capital of corporation, estimated total value of all property of corporation that will be located in Illinois, estimated amount of annual business of the corporation to be transacted in Illinois, and amount of authorized capital stock. After 1925 entries additionally include the name and class (i.e., common, preferred) of shares having par or no-par-value which the corporation has authority to issue and the number and class of shares having par or no-par-value which the corporation proposes to issue.

Documents filed by not-for-profit corporations variously include applications for certificate of authority, certificates of designation or change of registered agent and registered office, not-for-profit corporation index cards, certificates of revocation issued by the Secretary of State, applications for certificate of withdrawal, and certified copies of incorporation documents from other states.

Entries on applications for certificate of authority include name and address of corporation, date of incorporation, name of state incorporated in, purpose and duration of corporation, names and addresses of registered agent and office, names of other states and foreign countries where corporation transacts business, and names and addresses of officers and directors.